Blog Posts Page 4

In the event that you establish a trust, you will need to also name a trustee. It can be difficult to think about this process because you want someone who will have a relatively good relationship with your beneficiaries, who you also feel confident in passing the responsibilities on to. Likewise, you need to… Read More »

Most people are under the impression that they will not benefit from estate planning because their estate is too small, they don’t have children, they are unmarried or any other of the broad range of myths that keep you from engaging in this important planning process. While estate planning is important for everybody, there are… Read More »

Nearing the end of the year makes for an excellent opportunity to review estate planning documents and determine next steps. However, it’s also important to think about the fact that November was named as National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month in 1983. When Ronald Reagan stipulated this awareness month at that time, fewer than 2 million individuals… Read More »

New research shows that Americans, not surprisingly, are uncomfortable with the prospect of investing, retirement planning and estate planning. A new study of more than 5,000 individuals put forth by the group, Hearts & Wallets, identified that individuals who are late career between the ages of 53 and 64, and people who are likely to… Read More »

Any family conversation about money can be a difficult one, especially when it approaches the subject of mortality and estate planning. Feelings about money and emotions get tied up in conversations about estate planning, bringing forward challenging emotions like fear, lack of confidence, shame, and concerns about dignity. It can be difficult to discuss… Read More »

Far too many Americans believe that estate planning is simply not necessary for them. According to a research study put together by WealthCounsel, 47% of Americans believe that estate planning is only for the extremely wealthy. Approximately half of the American population believes that their assets are not enough to worry about using any estate… Read More »

Many individuals who are in the process of putting together or updating their estate plan have worked hard for many decades and hope to be able to pass on assets to grandchildren or their own children. Unfortunately, however, some common missteps in this process could lead to your money being squandered. If you leave your… Read More »

It’s certainly important to have a will but it’s not enough to put together this document one time either by yourself or with the help of an experienced estate planning attorney. This could compromise your ability to have the legal document actually reflect your individual wishes. In fact, failing to update your will could put… Read More »

Given that the estate tax threshold is $5.45 million in assets, or double that if you are married, many people don’t have to worry about the federal estate tax. However, it’s still a good idea to set up a meeting with an experienced estate planning attorney to discuss your overall needs. Far too many people… Read More »

Being married two or three times is becoming a more popular phenomenon than it ever was in the past. This can present unique challenges when it comes to estate planning, however. One of the biggest issues for any blended family and this new spouses, is to consider how assets will be preserved and protected for… Read More »